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Sexual Abuse: Knowing About Sex at Too Young an Age

Topic Overview

A child may have knowledge of sex that isn't appropriate for the child's age. This may be expressed by the amount
of detail a child gives about sexual acts that should not be familiar to him or
her. For example, a 3-year-old child should not be able to describe in detail
what happens during sexual intercourse. Young children who have firsthand
knowledge of sexual acts likely have been sexually abused or have been exposed
to sexual activity. This exposure can be an enticed or forced witnessing of
sexual behavior. It may happen in person or through media sources, such as pornographic
videos.

When a young child acts in a way that shows an awareness of
sexuality or asks questions about sex that are far too advanced for his or her
age, consider it a warning sign of sexual abuse.

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How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.